Improvement in bee-protector



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Y Letters Patent No. 104,832, dated :Tune 2 8, 1870.

` IMPROVEMENT IN BEE-PROTECTOR.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Pltent anni making pari; ofthe same.

To all whom it may concern moth, and the opening ofthe same in themorning, tov

permit the passage ot the bees in and out during the day.

Figure 1 represents a vertical section of one of the many forms in whichmy invention may be arranged, and- Figure 2 is a top plan view/of thesame.

In the drawing- A represents an ordinary poultry-house, and

B, a horizontal rock-shaft, secured in suitable bearings, and providedwith three arms, b, c, and e, the

latter located within the house A, and supportingthe A.lower end of avertical 'sliding post, a., supported in suitable guides, and bearingupon its upper end the roost or porches C.

-. The arm cis upon the opposite side of the shaft 'from arm t, and isprovided with an adjustable weight,

d,.suicient to overbal'auce the post a, and vkeep it 'elevated when theroosts are unoccupied, but which l allows the post to descend upon theroost being occupied, and thereby operate the shaft and its vertical arme, this "arm standing in oneposition when the roost is occupied by thepoultry, and in the opposite position when the roost is vacated.

D are the hives, arranged in rows, and each provided with a sliding dooror gate, fi, the whole series of the gates being connected by rods,wires, or chains f, so as to open and close together, the rods f havingweights h. connected to their ends by levers t, which tend to hold thegates open.

The upright arme of the rock-shaft is connected by an eye-block with.the rod f, so that, as the arm is vibrated by the rocking of the shaft,it will open and close the gates ofthe whole series of hives.

lVhen the devices are thus constructed and ar ranged, and the roost B isunoccupied, the various parts stand in the 'positions shown in figs. land 2, with the entrance to all the hives'open; but, as soon as thepoultry mount upon thc roost, their weight depresses the post a, and it,in turn, presses down arm b, and thereby rocks shaft B and its arm e,and-the latter operates the rods f, and closes all the hives.

As soon as the roost is vacated, the weights (l and h bring the part-sto their original positions, elevating the post a, and opening theslides i of the hives.

As is v vell known, the bee-moth flies during darkness only, and,therefore, to exclude them, thehives .must be closed at dusk and allowedto remain closed during the night, and then be opened again in themarning for the bees to pass in and ont during the day; when, now, inconnection with these requirements, it is remembered that the poultryalways-and invariably roost at dusk, and leave the roost at or neardaybreak, it will be seen with what perfect regularity and certainty mydevice will fulfil its purpose of closing and opening the hives at theproper times.

By the use ot' this arrangement all danger of the hivrs beingjleft openat night or closed during the day is avoided, and a certainty of act-ionattained that would be impossible were the operation left for auattendant person liable to forget, or to be absent or sick.

It is obvious that any number of hivesinay be connectcd with the roost,and all be operated simultaneously, they beiug'arranged in any suitableposit-ion tov have their slides connected with the operating devices.

Having thus described my invention, \Vhat I claim is- The combinationof' a vibrating roost or perch for fowls, with the slides orv doors ofone or more beehives, when so constructed and arrangedthat the weight of,the fowls upon the roost shall operate to close the hives, and theirremoval from the roost shall open the hives, substantially as hereindescribed.

JEREMIAH CORY.

Witnesses G. D. CARPENTER, ABNnR VAN MATRE.

